Solenoids of this type are often part of a more complex actuating device. By means of the solenoid here different positions of the actuating device are set, for example a locking is generated or the like. The solenoid has here a coil which can be current-fed, the coil having here a suitable wire winding which can be flown through by current. The magnetic field thus generated here acts on an armature which is arranged moving in the armature space of the solenoid and which can be magnetized, and the armature is moved according to the resulting magnetic field.
Here simple switch magnets which attract the armature against a spring force are comprised in the same way by the invention as also more complex reverse lifting magnets where, for example, two coils arranged one behind the other generate opposing magnetic fields and move the armature between two different positions back and forth. In this respect the invention is not restricted to a particular type of a solenoid.
Usually the armature acts on an actuator of the solenoid, for example an armature rod or the like. Depending of the design here the actuator is connected rigidly with the armature or the armature acts in a suitable way on a separate actuator arranged movable relative to the armature.
In the use of the solenoid in an actuating device, as it is also described and claimed in this invention, the armature eventually acts on an actuating element of the actuating device. In order to realize this there are several ideas. First of all, it is possible that the actuating element of the actuating device is identical with the actuator of the solenoid, that is, for example, the armature rod operates a suitable bar or the like in the actuating device. However, again the invention is not restricted in this respect, there are also cases of employment where the armature or the actuator (for example armature rod) of the magnet acts on a separately provided actuating element of the actuating device. The actuating element may be, for example, a bar, if, for example, the actuating device is designed as locking device or the like.
The circuit speed, that is the period of time required to bring the solenoid or the actuating device from a first position to a second position, depends decisively on the magnetic qualities of the used components, the size of the coil, the load independent current of the coil and so on. When the current of the coil is switched off the magnetic field of the coil is not abruptly reduced, either, but runs out exponentially. The running-out magnetic force still acts against the spring force which actually would push back the armature.
The result are circuit times which may be several 100 ms. However, in emergency situations a clearly shorter circuit time is required.